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Thursday, August 19, 2010

Belleville Man Hit By Car Walking His Bike, Suffers Skull Fracture

A man is hospitalized with an apparent skull fracture after being struck by a car while walking his bicycle with friends in Belleville, Illinois. A report by KSDK.com suggests that the man was struck by the oncoming vehicle in the "traffic lane" of Carlyle west of the junction of Route 161. For reasons that are thus far unclear, officials "do not anticipate issuing any citations in the incident," though it remains "under investigation."

While researching an attorney for my situation, I became very overwhelmed with the choices available. I wanted to be sure that I was selecting the best attorney, and so many factors come into play - reputation, cost, location, personality, etc. Since you will likely need to interact with your attorney a great deal, it is always a good idea to talk to some people who have used the specific attorney or firm that you are thinking about retaining before making a decision.

First and foremost, consider exactly what your needs are. I needed a Personal Injury Attorney Minnesota who had significant experience in dealing with wrongful death suits. After researching many Wisconsin Trial Lawyers I came across one that I felt was the best fit for me. I spoke to the attorney on the phone to get a feel for what they could do for me before booking an in office appointment. If you are not satisfied with this attorney, by all means, keep looking. Interview as many firms as needed, and compare their services before making a decision that you are comfortable with.

After choosing an attorney, request a written estimate of all costs involved in the process. For example, will you be paying the attorney an hourly fee? Are paralegal fees involved (which are often much less expensive than attorney fees), will you pay a lump sum for the services?, etc. Many attorney's will offer to set up affordable payment plans if you are not able to pay for all services up front. The important thing is to get this agreement in writing however.

Find out what exactly is involved in the process of your case, and get estimates of timelines. Often, cases can drag on for months or even years depending on what is involved. Many times, court dates need to be set, government agencies need to be involved, etc. It is important to get a realistic timeline of each event so that you are aware of what is involved. Also, ask about support staff so that you know who to contact if you have questions about your case.

The Chicago Bicycle Advocate is published by the Freeman Kevenides Law Firm, a law firm representing bicyclists and bicycle accident victims. 120 South State Street, Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois 60603.

This weblog is meant as a reference guide for bicyclists and bike accident victims. Nothing contained in this blog should be construed as legal advice. The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law, nor does it recognize certifications of expertise in any phase of the practice of law by any agency, governmental or private, or by any group, organization or association.

If you would like advice from personal injurylawyers whose focus is representing bicycle accident victims, please contact attorneys Jim Freeman and Brendan Kevenides at 312.629.1901 during business hours or 773.936.8196 24 hours a day.